Basic Template Start

Hi Everyone! Jenn (jk703) to give you a tutorial today! Woot! So excited to share a tutorial for basic template use! These instructions should work well for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements users! I heart me some templates, and they are just a great starting point for many of my layouts! Plus, they are a great time saver!!! So here we go....


Templates -- Basic use.


First and Foremost... with any template that you use, follow this rule:
Click on File, and Save as. By saving your template with a new name, you preserve the orignal template so you can use it over and over again, and it is in the original form!


I have decided to start with the background basics with Chelle's Askew Templates from the DSD Grab Bag! Love the style! If we can get to know the background and clipping, it will be a great start!





OK! We've got a template ready to go! Next, have some papers on standby to be added in a bit. First, we will be adding a background paper, which is the darker grey on the template above. I've decided to use the Happy Papers for my background! You can find it HERE!





Scroll in the layers palette until you see the Background layer. Click on that layer to highlight it. Check that you are in Move Tool mode. If not, click on the move tool. You will be placing your paper ABOVE this background layer! (Select, Copy and Paste with Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C and then Ctrl+V or Drag and Drop works well too!)


Your chosen background will become the background of the template! Presto Chango, lol!
Below, you can see that I now have the white, yellow and red star background behind all the blocks! Also, you can see that my background layer is ABOVE the previous background layer.





For every layer that you want a paper on, you will have to click on that specific layer, and then bring your paper in. When you have your paper in above the shape, you are going to "clip" the paper to the shape layer. Here is how:


Open your paper and have it layered above the shape you'd like to clip it to. It should look like this:



When you have your screen similar to this you are now going to clip the paper to the layer (shape). Here is what you will see if you right click on the red background paper:

Choose Create Clipping Mask which is about halfway in the menu. By clipping the paper to the layer, it will automatically make the paper the EXACT shape of the layer below. See here:





Now... you can duplicate the red paper for every layer that you want red paper. To duplicate, right click on the red paper, and choose duplicate paper. Then you will find the layer that you want to clip it to, and click and drag the new red paper above and clip. Just cause that seems confusing... here are some photos. Duplication of the red paper:



and after moving/clipping to multiple layers, it will look like this:

When you have completed the clipping of all the layers, your page will look something like this...but with the papers you chose! Boy, that is a lot of moving and clipping, lol!





By knowing how to move and clip in a template will allow you the basics of template use. In my opinion, being able to move and clip can allow you to use any template, and then learn how to change it up and make it yours!


Design Change:
Re-sizing all the layers for the paper blocking pieces. Select all layers, and with the Move Tool selected, and the apect ratio set, you can make those squares larger or smaller. Deletion/Hiding of layers is another great way to mix op the template and change it. is an example of smaller, and then larger with a twist:






Now all you have to do is bring some elements in, and your photo! Add some shadows, and make it shine! I hope this gets you off to a great start with templates.


Next time I'm up for a blog post, I will delve a bit deeper into templates, adding the elements, and alphas! So much fun!


Thanks for stopping by today, and have a great day!
Jenn (jk703)